Gallia County African American Census Records

Extracted from US census records from 1820, 1830 & 1840

     Slavery was abolished in Ohio at the time it entered the Union in 1803. The entries for African Americans listed below would therefore represent free blacks. The term, free blacks, however, is in many ways a misnomer. Almost immediately after statehood, Ohio passed laws that had the intention of erecting barriers to former slaves migrating here. Black laws passed in 1804 and 1807 required immigrating blacks to post a $500 bond guaranteeing good behavior and requiring legal proof that they were indeed free. These laws were generally not strictly enforced for most of the early 19th century. However, the increasing numbers of fugitive slaves escaping across the Ohio River could not settle here because they were not legally free, and they would head north through the underground railroad system attempting to reach Canada. The passage of the fugitive slave law in 1850 would make it more difficult for all blacks, even those who had attained free status. The law required the federal government to actively pursue and return fugitive slaves to their owners in the South. Ohio citizens who aided in transporting or hiding fugitive slaves were subject to heavy fines. African Americans did not have the right to present evidence as to their status in court and when they were captured or accused their fate was decided by federal comissioners. Between 1850 and 1860 only eleven out of 343 blacks brought before these commissioners were allowed to remain in Ohio. The rest were transported to the South into slavery.
     In spite of these hardships and obstacles, as can be seen in the census results, there was a slow but steady increase in the black population in Gallia County. The African American entries from the 1820, 1830 and 1840 United States census are shown below. In these censuses only the head of household is named. The second column records the total number of people in that household and the third column gives the township in which they lived.
     This information is being provided as a project honoring Black History Month. With the history of their ancestors forcibly being captured and brought to America and sold as slaves and then living under unspeakable hardships, it is very difficult for most African Americans to trace their ancestry. It is hoped that this project will make it just a little less difficult.

1820